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in Scam Awareness
masslive.com
· 2025-12-07
The FBI warns of a significant surge in gold bar and bulk cash courier scams targeting older adults, where fraudsters use grandparent, government impersonation, or tech support schemes to convince victims to hand over valuables to in-person couriers. From 2023 to 2025, FBI Boston documented 103 instances resulting in over $26 million in losses (98% of victims over age 60), while nationwide figures reached 1,737 cases with approximately $186 million in losses. The FBI advises the public never to purchase precious metals at a government's request, avoid posting personal information online, and refrain from allowing unknown individuals access to computers or personal data.
bu.edu
· 2025-12-07
Boston University students lost $624,300 to scammers between January and September, with 90 percent of losses occurring in four cases involving impostors posing as Chinese police or officials. The BUPD reports 29 total larceny scams occurred through multiple channels, with job/employment scams being most common among students, while authorities also warned of nationwide fraud schemes involving fake apartment rentals, fraudulent identity theft reports, and immigration-related extortion targeting international students. Key prevention advice includes not answering calls from unknown numbers, verifying direct contact with authorities through official channels, and never providing payment or personal information before viewing rental properties in person.
attorneygeneral.gov
· 2025-12-07
Pennsylvania's Attorney General issued a warning that scammers may exploit donations intended for families of Northern York County Regional Police officers killed in a recent shooting incident. The advisory recommends potential donors verify fundraising legitimacy by checking official police department and sheriff's office social media pages, or confirming endorsement from police associations before contributing. Victims of donation scams can report fraud to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection.
kulr8.com
· 2025-12-07
Phone scams are rising in Montana, with scammers typically pressuring victims to pay immediately. AARP Montana advises people to stop and verify callers' identities by hanging up and contacting agencies directly, particularly for scams impersonating law enforcement that demand payment.
timesofmalta.com
· 2025-12-07
A Maltese woman lost €170,000 over seven years attempting to purchase a non-existent dog, while another victim lost his entire life savings to a romance scammer posing as a Canadian woman, and a third sent her pension to a scammer impersonating Pope Leo XIV on Facebook. These cases exemplify a wave of sophisticated online scams sweeping Europe that affect educated, high-earning individuals—with research showing 40% of Malta's highest earners have lost money to such schemes. Experts warn that scammers use psychological manipulation and emotional investment to exploit victims, and the financial losses are compounded by severe mental health consequences.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
Julio Cesar Montero Pinzon, a senior leader of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), and his half-sister Griselda Margarita Arredondo Pinzon were indicted for operating an international fraud scheme targeting American timeshare owners in Mexico for over a decade, defrauding thousands of victims. The scheme involved false promises requiring upfront payments from timeshare owners who were told they could sell or rent their properties, with the proceeds used to fund the cartel's terrorist activities and drug trafficking operations. Both defendants are Mexican nationals and remain at large; they face charges including wire fraud conspiracy, money
theguardian.com
· 2025-12-07
A "money mule" scheme involves criminals recruiting individuals—often young people aged 18-24—to transfer illegally obtained money through personal bank accounts, typically by posing as friends or advertising remote job opportunities. Victims of this scheme face serious consequences including account closure, credit damage, and potential criminal charges of up to 14 years imprisonment, even if they unknowingly facilitated the money laundering. The article advises people to refuse any requests to share account access or transfer unexplained funds, and to immediately report suspicious activity to their bank and police.
pbcommercial.com
· 2025-12-07
The city of Pine Bluff issued a public warning about fraudulent emails and text messages impersonating the Pine Bluff Planning and Zoning Commission. Residents received reports of these scam communications, prompting city officials to alert the community to the impersonation scheme.
cantonrep.com
· 2025-12-07
Since 2020, the BBB has received over 4,000 reports of cryptocurrency investment scams, with increasingly sophisticated schemes now targeting users on TikTok through direct messages offering unrealistic returns. Scammers create fake investment opportunities, request initial deposits via digital wallets, then demand escalating "service fees" while promising multiplied returns that never materialize. To protect yourself, verify investment opportunities through the SEC and BBB, avoid guaranteed get-rich-quick schemes, resist pressure tactics, and only use digital wallet services with trusted contacts.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
A national poll found that three in four adults ages 50-80 experienced scam attempts in the last two years, with approximately 30% losing money to fraud. The article identifies the most common scams targeting Western New York seniors, including romance scams, sweepstakes scams, imposter scams (government/business officials), grandparent scams, and tech phishing scams, and advises victims to disengage from suspicious contacts, verify requests independently, and report losses to the Federal Trade Commission, state Attorney General, or New York State Office of Victim Services.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
A 78-year-old Rochester-area man lost $30,000 to a Publishers Clearing House prize scam that operated over six months, during which con artists repeatedly promised a $2.5 million prize while extracting fees under various pretenses. The article highlights that this case is representative of thousands of elder fraud crimes nationally, with federal authorities recently arresting eight people for defrauding 139 Western New York seniors of over $11 million through romance scams, imposter schemes, and identity theft. Common scams targeting seniors in the region include romance fraud, imposter scams impersonating government or businesses, and tech phishing, with scammers increasingly using AI and deep
wifr.com
· 2025-12-07
The Better Business Bureau warns homeowners to beware of seasonal home improvement scams that increase in fall, noting these frauds rank as the fifth riskiest consumer scams with a median loss of $1,800. Common schemes include unsolicited door-to-door offers for roof/chimney repairs, fake energy audits, gutter cleaning, and ductwork services, with scammers using tactics like pressure to pay in cash, guarantees of low prices, and demands for immediate work. The BBB recommends obtaining written bids and contracts, verifying contractor credentials through their website, checking references, and paying only after inspecting completed work.
thenationonlineng.net
· 2025-12-07
This article does not describe elder fraud, scams targeting seniors, or elder abuse. It is a political statement regarding allegations against a Nigerian activist and publisher, involving disputes over fund management and political matters unrelated to elderly populations. This falls outside the scope of Elderus, which focuses on fraud and abuse targeting older adults.
birminghammail.co.uk
· 2025-12-07
A Lloyds Bank customer attempted to transfer £10,000 to an online romance scammer, even offering to bet bank staff £20,000 that his "girlfriend" was genuine, claiming she was a chef working on an oil ship. Lloyds' fraud prevention director warned that romance scams exploit vulnerable people seeking companionship, and advised customers never to send money to people met online, noting that scammers commonly impersonate military personnel, oil rig workers, and doctors abroad.
birminghammail.co.uk
· 2025-12-07
A state pensioner in the UK lost £11,000 to a romance scam in which a fraudster posing as "Freddie" built an emotional connection by fabricating a series of crises—including a son's death and alleged arrest—to manipulate the victim into sending money. Lloyds Bank issued a warning about the rise of romance scams targeting vulnerable pensioners seeking companionship, noting that fraudsters exploit emotional vulnerability to extract tens of thousands of pounds from victims' accounts.
birminghammail.co.uk
· 2025-12-07
Lloyds Bank reported a 52% surge in romance scams targeting victims over 55 in the past year, with those aged 55-64 representing the most targeted group (20% of cases) and victims aged 75-84 losing the most on average at £8,068 per incident. The bank warned that romance scammers manipulate vulnerable individuals seeking companionship and advised customers to never send money to online contacts, verify requests through phone calls, and educate older family members about the signs of fraud.
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-07
A 75-year-old man in Hong Kong lost HK$26.2 million (US$3.35 million) to a cryptocurrency investment scam involving a fake "National Hong Kong Coin" promoted through a fraudulent social media account impersonating the Chief Executive. The incident is part of a broader surge in crypto fraud in the region, where scammers use impersonation tactics, deepfake technology, and compromised accounts to deceive investors, with Hong Kong authorities urging residents to verify information through official government channels and warning of severe legal consequences for perpetrators.
salemreporter.com
· 2025-12-07
In September, thieves stole approximately $188,000 in food and cash benefits from 424 low-income Oregonians enrolled in SNAP and TANF assistance programs using debit card skimmers placed on payment machines at retail stores, with an average loss of $450 per account. The theft rate more than doubled compared to July and August combined, with criminals testing small transactions before emptying entire account balances, and targeting low-income recipients because their cards lack the security features of credit cards. While the state can replace stolen TANF funds, it cannot replace SNAP benefits due to exhausted federal funding, and victims are also being targeted through phishing emails, texts, and fraudulent websites imperson
civilbeat.org
· 2025-12-07
A Kailua woman received a voicemail from someone claiming to represent Hawaiian Electric Company, warning that her home utilities would be disconnected unless she called back immediately—a common scam tactic that exploited her vacation anxiety and inability to verify the claim. The article discusses how artificial intelligence and readily available personal information are making it increasingly easier for scammers to create sophisticated frauds, including voice-cloning technology that impersonates trusted contacts, with particular vulnerability among seniors and young people.
ksby.com
· 2025-12-07
According to Pew Research, 73% of Americans receive scam attempts daily, with PayPal users being particularly targeted. Common 2025 scams include phishing emails claiming account problems, fake promotional offers, prize notifications requiring upfront fees, and seller fraud involving rerouted packages with false non-delivery claims. Experts recommend users avoid clicking email links, log in directly through PayPal's official website or app, use only verified addresses for shipping, and avoid unprotected "Friends and Family" payment options.
futurism.com
· 2025-12-07
Scammers are increasingly using "SMS blasters"—portable cell-tower devices that send massive volumes of phishing texts to phones in their vicinity (500-2,000 yards away)—to conduct large-scale fraud campaigns. These devices can send 100,000 texts per hour, impersonate any sender, and downgrade phones to less secure 2G connections in under 10 seconds, operating outside legitimate mobile networks where providers cannot monitor or stop them. The technology, first seen at scale in Asia-Pacific regions, has now spread to Western Europe and South America, with arrests reported in the UK and Thailand, though the actual scams still rely on victims clicking malicious
marketplace.org
· 2025-12-07
Consumers lost over $1 billion to social media fraud in the first half of the year, nearly 10 times the amount from five years ago, with scammers using deceptive ads on platforms like Instagram to sell counterfeit or misrepresented products. An education lawyer in New York fell victim to a fake clothing ad, receiving a poor-quality skirt with an illegible return address and no recourse for a refund. Experts recommend consumers check the Better Business Bureau's scam tracker, reverse-image search suspicious products, and watch for red flags like suspiciously low prices and unrealistic guarantees before making purchases on social media.
kolotv.com
· 2025-12-07
This is an educational announcement, not a news event about a specific scam. Here's the summary:
A senior scam prevention presentation was scheduled for October 1 in Reno, Nevada, featuring speakers from the Sparks City Attorney's office, Washoe County Sheriff's Office, and Senior ResQ who would discuss common scams targeting seniors and provide practical safety tips. The event was part of Opportunity Alliance Nevada's Brown Bag Lunch series and attendees could RSVP through a provided QR code.
cowboystatedaily.com
· 2025-12-07
A 76-year-old man in Gillette, Wyoming was nearly victimized in a cryptocurrency ATM scam when he attempted to deposit $16,000 after being manipulated by a scammer who kept him on the phone; a bystander alerted police, preventing the loss. Cheyenne police have identified 50 BTM fraud cases totaling over $645,000 in unrecovered losses, part of a nationwide pattern where seniors lose retirement funds to overseas criminals who use emotional manipulation to direct victims to crypto kiosks. AARP is proposing new regulations for cryptocurrency machines as the FBI estimates $9.3 billion was stolen through various crypto frauds in
ksl.com
· 2025-12-07
Olamide Shanu, a 34-year-old Nigerian man, was extradited to the U.S. and charged with operating sextortion and romance scams that defrauded numerous victims across the country of at least $2 million. Shanu and his conspirators posed as women on social media to coerce victims into sending explicit images, then extorted money by threatening to share the images, while also running parallel romance scams using fake identities to manipulate victims into sending money through payment apps, gift cards, and cryptocurrency. If convicted on charges including wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and cyberstalking, Shanu faces up to 20 years in
birminghammail.co.uk
· 2025-12-07
Romance scam victims reported by Lloyds Bank lost an average of £5,000, with those aged 75-84 losing the most at an average of £8,068. Scammers typically initiate contact through social media, dating sites, or gaming platforms, build false relationships, and request money using excuses such as military service, oil rig work, or medical emergencies. Lloyds advises never sending money to online contacts you haven't met in person and recommends educating older adults about common warning signs.
express.co.uk
· 2025-12-07
Romance scams cost British victims over £106 million in 2024, a 9% increase from the previous year, with an average loss of £11,222 per person across 9,449 reports. The scams involve criminals building trust through fake online dating profiles to manipulate victims into sending money, with tactics ranging from military deployment excuses to fabricated emergencies. Dating app Cherry Dating has called for cross-platform collaboration and data-sharing among apps to prevent serial scammers from simply moving to new platforms after being banned.
birminghammail.co.uk
· 2025-12-07
**Summary:**
Lloyds Bank warned that romance scam victims lost an average of £5,000, with victims aged 75-84 losing the most at an average of £8,068. Fraudsters typically initiate contact through social media and dating sites, build false romantic relationships, and then request money under pretexts such as military service, oil rig work, or emergencies. The bank advised customers never to send money to people met online and recommended educating vulnerable older adults about romance scam warning signs.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-07
Dennis and Carole received a phishing email impersonating Sam's Club, offering a $100 reward for completing a survey; Carole clicked through and entered her email address but no credit card information. Although no immediate financial risk exists, scammers now have her active email address and may target her with more sophisticated phishing attempts or sell it to spam lists. The article recommends running antivirus scans, reporting the email as phishing, and considering data removal services to reduce future targeting.
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-07
Elderly individuals are increasingly targeted by sophisticated cryptocurrency scams, with Beaufort County, South Carolina reporting $3.1 million in crypto-related losses in 2024 and Minnesota experiencing over $189 million in losses from crypto kiosk fraud in 2023, using tactics such as voice cloning, fake websites, QR codes, and emotional manipulation. A prominent councilman was released without charge during an investigation into one such scam, highlighting authorities' challenges in tracing funds through irreversible cryptocurrency transactions. Experts recommend seniors protect themselves through education, using trusted platforms with two-factor authentication, discussing large transactions with family members, and promptly reporting incidents to law enforcement and the FTC
oleantimesherald.com
· 2025-12-07
I don't have enough content to provide a meaningful summary. The article appears to be truncated—it mentions that Borrello and O'Mara are hosting a program on scams and fraud targeting seniors in Allegany County, but the actual details about the program, date, location, and specific advice are cut off. Additionally, the survey information at the end appears to be unrelated content. Please provide the complete article text for an accurate summary.
dallasnews.com
· 2025-12-07
Tejasvi Manoj, a 17-year-old from Collin County, Texas, was named Time magazine's 2025 Kid of the Year for developing Shield Seniors, an AI-powered platform designed to help seniors identify, analyze, and report online scams. Inspired when her grandfather nearly fell victim to a scam impersonating a family member, Tejasvi created the application to educate older adults about cybersecurity, addressing a critical problem where seniors lose more money to scams than any other age group, with internet crime losses exceeding $16 billion annually.
cnbc.com
· 2025-12-07
Mary May purchased counterfeit Neuriva brain supplements from a third-party seller on Walmart.com in March, discovering misspellings and different packaging after they arrived; CNBC's investigation revealed the seller had fraudulently assumed the identity of another business. Walmart's rapid expansion of its marketplace—prioritizing growth over vetting—has resulted in at least 43 vendors using false business identities and the sale of potentially dangerous counterfeit products, with the company deliberately making seller verification less rigorous than Amazon's to attract more vendors. May was refunded by Walmart, but the incident highlights consumer safety risks as the retailer's e-commerce marketplace has grown to near $100 billion
wtkr.com
· 2025-12-07
A coordinated fraud ring targeting Navy Federal customers throughout Hampton Roads has victimized hundreds of people and stolen over $2 million through a "parking lot scam." Ten suspects have been arrested and face wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering charges after approaching victims near Navy Federal branches, requesting to use their phones, and then making unauthorized loan applications, transfers, and withdrawals from victims' accounts using the Navy Federal mobile app. The scheme has affected at least 33 documented victims in the recent indictment, with one victim losing $7,000 in seconds.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
Scammers are increasingly targeting Social Security recipients with cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) fraud schemes, contributing to the $12.5 billion in fraud losses reported by the FTC in 2024. The Social Security Administration warns recipients to watch for four red flags: being told they must apply for COLA (which is automatic), unsolicited calls/texts/emails claiming to be from SSA, requests for Social Security numbers or banking information, and threats or pressure tactics claiming benefits will be cut off. Recipients should remember that the SSA communicates primarily through mailed letters and will never demand personal information over the phone or threaten immediate action.
dearmedia.com
· 2025-12-07
This article recounts a romance scam case involving Christy's father in Sydney, Australia, who fell victim to a manipulative woman named Rose after becoming vulnerable following family upheaval and his parents' separation. Rose gradually isolated him from his support system, drained his finances by having him pay all household bills, and took over his time and energy while contributing nothing to the household. The piece advises adult children to recognize warning signs of elder romance scams—including sudden isolation, financial requests, emotional manipulation, and unexplained behavior changes—and suggests using non-accusatory conversations and awareness-building to help protect vulnerable parents.
mirror.co.uk
· 2025-12-07
Romance scams targeting students and recent graduates are increasing, with victims losing an average of £2,228 per scam, according to new Tinder research that found 44% of young adults share personal details with people they've never met in person. Love Island star Georgia Steel has joined a campaign with Tinder and Get Safe Online to raise awareness after she was defrauded by a man posing as a wealthy American, who was revealed to be convicted fraudster Medi Abalimba (jailed for four years in 2021 for £170,000+ in total deceptions). Experts emphasize that romance scams exploit emotional manipulation and are difficult to spot, with young
nj1015.com
· 2025-12-07
A Privacy Journal research study ranking states by online dating safety—measuring romance scams, fraud, identity theft, violent crime, STDs, and registered sex offenders per 100,000 residents—found that New Jersey ranks 16th safest overall, with particularly low rates of sex offenders, romance scams, and violent crime, though Vermont ranked safest and Nevada most dangerous.
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-07
A 65-year-old man from Athens, Georgia was victimized by a celebrity romance scam in which he believed he had developed an online relationship with singer Miley Cyrus. The scam exploited the common tactic of impersonating a well-known celebrity on social media to build false trust with the victim. No dollar amount or final outcome was specified in the available excerpt.
oregonlive.com
· 2025-12-07
In early September, thieves used debit card skimmers placed on payment machines to steal approximately $188,000 in food and cash benefits from 424 low-income Oregonians enrolled in SNAP and TANF programs, averaging $450 per account and representing a 50% increase from July-August theft totals. The fraudsters install skimmers quickly in checkout lines to capture card numbers and PINs, then make test transactions before emptying entire account balances, with victims unable to recover stolen SNAP funds due to exhausted federal replacement budgets. Oregon officials warn residents to inspect card readers for loose or misaligned components and note that thieves also use phishing texts, emails
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-07
Gurpreet Singh, a young man from Amritsar, was victimized by an international visa scam after being contacted on social media by someone promising to arrange a UK visa through Iran. After arriving in Iran in September, he was kidnapped and held hostage by organized criminals demanding ₹50 lakh (approximately $60,000 USD) in ransom, with evidence suggesting the gang has cross-border Pakistani connections and targets Punjabi youth seeking overseas settlement.
wtam.iheart.com
· 2025-12-07
The Cleveland Public Library fell victim to a vendor impersonation scam in which a fraudster submitted a nearly $400,000 fake invoice that the library paid. The Ohio Auditor of State's Office documented the incident, and the library successfully recovered the full amount.
consumerfinanceandfintechblog.com
· 2025-12-07
On September 8, the D.C. Attorney General filed a lawsuit against a crypto ATM operator for violations of consumer protection and elder financial exploitation laws, alleging undisclosed markups up to 26 percent, ineffective fraud safeguards, and arbitrary refund denials that disproportionately harmed elderly residents. Early data showed that most deposits were connected to scams, with victims averaging 71 years old and median losses of $8,000 per transaction. The suit seeks injunctive relief, restitution, damages, and civil penalties, reflecting increased regulatory scrutiny on crypto kiosk fee transparency, fraud controls, and licensing requirements.
abc45.com
· 2025-12-07
Guilford County, North Carolina is experiencing a surge in "court scams" where criminals impersonate deputies, spoof official numbers, and demand immediate payment claiming victims have missed court or owe fines; residents have lost at least $100,000 to these schemes over the past two years. The Guilford County Sheriff's Office emphasizes that legitimate deputies will never demand immediate phone payment or request personal information via call or email, and is launching community education initiatives including a free senior fraud prevention academy starting September 25th to help residents recognize and avoid these scams.
abc7.com
· 2025-12-07
The Federal Trade Commission warned about a surge in job scam text messages that promise employment opportunities to lure victims into sharing personal or financial information. In the first half of 2025, over 235,000 text message scams were reported in the U.S., resulting in $342 million in losses, with approximately 29,000 reports specifically related to job or employment scams in the first quarter. The FTC advises recipients not to reply to unsolicited job offer texts, to verify the company's legitimacy independently, and to report suspicious messages to authorities.
wired.com
· 2025-12-07
Cybercriminals are increasingly using portable "SMS blaster" devices—fake cell phone towers that can be transported in vehicles—to send millions of scam text messages while evading carrier security measures. These devices force nearby phones to connect to insecure 2G networks and can send up to 100,000 messages per hour across a 1,000-meter radius; the technology originated in Southeast Asia and has recently spread to Europe and South America, prompting warnings from cybersecurity agencies. SMS blasters operate outside traditional mobile networks, making the fraudulent messages immune to the filtering and detection systems that telecom providers have deployed to block scams.
startribune.com
· 2025-12-07
Scammers posing as the Minnesota Department of Revenue sent fraudulent text messages to residents claiming tax refunds were approved and requesting bank information by September 17, 2025, with threats of permanent forfeiture. The Department of Revenue received approximately 500 calls about the scam starting September 15, though the total amount lost remains unknown, and officials confirmed taxpayer data was not compromised. The agency advised residents to verify official websites before sharing personal information and to report suspicious messages to their banks if any information was disclosed.
financialservices.house.gov
· 2025-12-07
Subcommittee Chairman Dan Meuser announced a House Financial Services Committee hearing focused on examining financial fraud affecting American consumers, noting that the FTC reported 2.6 million fraud cases in 2024 with over $12 billion in losses—a 25% increase from 2023. Meuser highlighted that seniors experience the most devastating financial losses from scams while young adults are especially vulnerable, and emphasized the need for coordinated efforts across government, financial institutions, technology platforms, and telecom companies to combat various fraud schemes including romance scams, identity theft, and check fraud. The hearing aimed to strengthen consumer education, promote best practices, and improve fraud prevention while the Trump Administration pursued related efforts
greenwichsentinel.com
· 2025-12-07
In August, the author and her community experienced a surge of email scams, including a fake Microsoft security alert, a spoofed "friend in crisis" requesting money, and church phishing using the pastor's name to solicit gift cards and cash from congregation members. Experts warn that scammers operating from Eastern Europe, Russia, and China are increasingly difficult to stop, and that AI-generated emails are making scams harder to detect, with elderly individuals who lack computer experience being particularly vulnerable to these schemes.
financialservices.house.gov
· 2025-12-07
A congressional Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing examined the escalating threat of financial fraud to American consumers, with particular concern for seniors and vulnerable populations. In 2024, there were 2.6 million reported fraud cases resulting in $12.5 billion in losses, involving schemes such as check fraud, romance scams, voice cloning, and AI-driven impersonation targeting grandparents. Federal lawmakers and banking industry representatives discussed the sophistication of criminal operations, many operating overseas, and called for improved federal agency coordination and consumer outreach to combat these growing threats.